Amazon Soya Agreement Extended until Year’s End

A landmark moratorium on Brazilian soya that was set to end today has been renewed for one last year. The initiative prevents major traders selling soya that may be linked to deforestation in the Amazon, which has recently been increasing. This comes a couple of months after the Brazilian government announced a 28 per cent increase in Amazon deforestation rates. This was the first official data on Amazon deforestation to come to light since Brazil controversially changed the Forest Code in 2012. This move, backed by the country’s powerful farmers’ lobby, weakened legislation on forest conservation and land use.